A kiltie is a long slashed tongue on a boot or shoe, which either covers the lacing or extends from beneath the lacing over the vamp or upper part of the shoe. The front end of a kiltie is generally serrated or scalloped. Often a leather tassel is attached to the kiltie for additional adornment. Sometimes the term “kiltie” is used to refer to the type of shoe having such a slashed tongue adornment. As used herein, the term “kiltie” refers to the decorative tongue and tassel, and not the whole shoe.
Kilties are generally made from leather. The problem to be solved is maintaining and/or restoring the shape of the kiltie, and, especially, preventing the front end of the kiltie from curling up and becoming unsightly, or restoring the kiltie after said curling has occurred.
In the related art, the following patents are known to the Applicant:
Patent NumberIssue DatePatentee5,575,016Nov. 19, 1996Bailey5,867,925Feb. 9, 1999Fattori6,055,714May 2, 2000Sproul6,470,542 (B1)Oct. 29, 2002Giannini
Bailey discloses a weight to be attached to a kiltie on a boot or shoe in order to prevent the kiltie end from curling upward due to exposure to weather or from aging. Made from a strip of malleable metal or other material, the weight attaches under the serrated edge of the kiltie and is intended to remain there; the forward edge of the weight is serrated to match the kiltie edge. Fattori discloses a shoe tassel retainer intended to be used with lace-up shoes during storage. The device serves to protect and maintain the new appearance of the shoe as it pertains to the flaps that consist of shoe lace holes and laces, and which cover the tongue of the shoe. Sproul discloses a method for “renewing” decorative leather tassels on boots and shoes after they have become unsightly from wear and tear. Giannini discloses an apparatus for protecting and maintaining decorative leather tassels during storage of boots and shoes.
The related art discussed above indicates that others have recognized the need to preserve the appearance of adornments on dress shoes. these adornments include kitties, tassels, and laces, among others. The predominant method in the related art is to provide shoe owners with the capacity to maintain or restore their shoes while they are in storage; i.e., between uses. Currently, there is no such solution offered explicitly for the maintenance/repair of shoe kitties. The invention described by Bailey (U.S. Pat. No. 5,575,016), for example, is designed to be applied while the shoe is being worn. For many people who have spent a lot of money on their shoes, it is not an option to include a restorative/maintenance device into the daily wearing of the shoes.